The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier of France, urged the UK government on Wednesday 12 July to clarify its views on all the issues covered by the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, on which good progress needs to be made by the autumn.
At a press conference, Barnier, who that morning had briefed the College of European Commissioners on the progress of the negotiations, called on London to come up with positions on the financial issues and all other areas of the negotiations, such as, whether the UK will remain in Euratom, governance of the future agreement and what is to happen to goods placed on the Community market before Brexit. The EU has settled its positions on all these points, the Commission having already published nine negotiating positions.
“We now need to know the United Kingdom’s position on all these issues if we are to make progress”, Barnier said. That would mean that it would be possible very quickly to determine “on which points agreement is possible and on which there is no agreement”, he added.
Thus far, the UK government has published only one position, on citizens’ rights.
The second round of negotiations will take place on Monday 17 July. It will focus principally on the Euratom treaty and governance of the future agreement, including what will happen with regard to the legal proceedings involving the United Kingdom. The respective assistant negotiators will also hold a political dialogue on Ireland and borders. The EU27’s idea is to reach political solutions first before trying to find technical or technological solutions.
Barnier repeated forcefully that, in the implementation of the withdrawal agreement, the Court of Justice of the EU must be the “final guarantor” of the rights of European citizens affected by Brexit. He said that the UK proposals on the status of European citizens in the UK after Brexit (see EUROPE 11816) were insufficient. “These proposals would not let the people concerned to continue to live their lives the same as at present”, he argued, noting numerous differences in the levels of ambition of the parties. The UK document does not allow any reciprocity, Barnier also said insofar as the rights of the citizens affected would be subject to British law which imposes restrictions, for example, on family reunification.
It is also time for London to come up with its negotiating position on the financial settlement. Barnier said that the EU was not holding the UK to ransom, it is “simply settling accounts” without a single additional pound sterling being asked for. It is essential, he said, that the UK recognise that these financial obligations exist.
Advancing simultaneously on three priority issues to build confidence. In Barnier’s mind, these three priority issues – citizens’ rights, the financial settlement and Ireland – are inseparable and making progress on only one or two of them will not be enough to be able to move to the next phase: discussing future relations between the United Kingdom and the EU. The European Council will take stock of progress in October.
Barnier also refuted the claim that the EU would put pressure on the UK to push it into making mistakes. He said that that was certainly not his intention, “especially not on issues relating to citizens” – 4.5 million people. Time, however, is of the essence, the EU chief negotiator once again stated. Indeed, that was his response to UK foreign minister Boris Johnston who commented that the EU could “go whistle” if it expects the UK to pay a divorce bill. “I’m not hearing any whistling, just the clock ticking”, retorted Barnier.
On Wednesday morning, the European Parliament Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, also updated the constitutional affairs committee on progress in the negotiations between the EU and the UK. Essentially, he reminded the MEPs of Parliament’s position on citizens’ rights, also taking the view that the UK government’s proposals were not good enough. He argued that, with these proposals, Europeans living in the UK would become “second-class” citizens. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)